So let's just say this proved to be a haunting weekend indeed for the former Yankee skipper. Not only did his closer, Jonathan Broxton, blow a four-run lead in the ninth inning Sunday night in a non-save situation, but, yes, there was Rivera shutting the door on Torre's Dodgers for the second time in three nights.

Looking not a day older than when he was locking down those four Torre Yankees championships. In fact, at age 40, Rivera went two innings Sunday night as he did in so many crucial situations for Torre, closing the 8-6 victory in the 10th after keeping it tied in the ninth.

"I've seen it before, that's for sure," Torre said with a sigh. "It's funny, I was kidding with (Joe) Girardi before the game, saying, 'You know, for the sake of Mo's health, you shouldn't bring him in if the game's tied.'

"I never dreamed it would be this scenario, and usually you don't bring your closer into a tie game on the road. But after such an emotional comeback for them it was the right thing for Joe to do. What can you say? Mo is still Mo."

Rivera or no Rivera, the Dodgers flat blew this game, in part because of a brainlock by first baseman James Loney, who fielded a ground ball and stepped on first base before throwing home in the ninth, allowing the tying run to score.

And it wasn't only Rivera who stuck it to his old manager. Alex Rodriguez, who finally succumbed to the moment and made nice with Torre before the game, got a measure of revenge against a manager he feels stuck it to him in the book he wrote, hitting his second home run of the series to start the Yankees' comeback.

And Robinson Cano gave Torre a firsthand look at how he is blossoming into a superstar, taking lefty reliever George Sherrill to left-center for the game-winning home run in the 10th.

But more than anything this weekend was a showcase for Rivera. He struck out six Dodgers over his three scoreless innings, lowered his ERA to 0.92, and so infuriated them with his cutter that three Dodger hitters were ejected for arguing strike calls - two Sunday night and one on Friday.

Finally, he was hitting 94 mph on the radar gun on Friday night when he struck out Manny Ramirez, Matt Kemp, and Loney, looking as if he were 30 years old, not 40.

Sunday he laughed at the suggestion the gun was juiced.

"What, you think I can't do that anymore?" he deadpanned. "You think I'm too old?"

Robinson Cano belts a two-run homer in the tenth inning, a game-winner made possible when Joe Torre (b., r.) leaves closer Jonathan Broxton in to give up four runs in the ninth inning.

(Hong/AP)

Apparently we should know better than to ever think that because Rivera just keeps doing what he's always done, getting hitters out in the ninth inning and often making it look easy.

He has now gone 14 straight appearances without allowing a run, a stretch that included a streak in which he retired 24 straight hitters at one point.

Rivera just laughs when you ask how long he can keep doing it, but he says his arm feels much stronger right now than it did at this time a year ago, now that he is a year removed from shoulder surgery.

"People forget, my rehab was during the season last year," he said. "Now, being a full year after surgery, it's different. My shoulder feels strong.

"But I don't worry about velocity. For me it's location, I don't care how hard you throw. Look at Jamie Moyer."

The mention of the 47-year-old lefthander led to an obvious question: will he still be closing games for the Yankees at Moyer's age?

"No, no way," Rivera said, chuckling again. "I promise I won't be doing this at 47."

OK, so how long?

"I don't know, maybe one, maybe two years, we'll see," Rivera said. "That would be a good career. But you never know. I just know it won't be seven.

"It gets harder every year to keep doing it. Got to work out harder. And the travel gets harder. But as long as I enjoy it and I'm still effective ..."

He was as effective as ever against the Dodgers, and offered a painful reminder to Torre that he's not in the Bronx anymore.